- State and local police immediately responded on campus and launched a massive search for the suspect, police said.
- The suspect was later arrested, Virginia state police said.
- The officers identified by the school as John Painter and JJ Jefferson.
Washington: Two campus police officers were shot and killed at a university in the US state of Virginia on Tuesday, the school said.
The two officers, a campus police officer and a campus security officer, were shot before a suspect fled the scene, the Virginia State Police said in a statement on Twitter.
According to the same statement, which the school also posted on its website, multiple law enforcement agencies arrived at the Bridgewater College campus around 1:20 p.m. (1620 GMT).
The suspect was later arrested, Virginia state police said.
“State and local law enforcement officers immediately responded to the campus and launched a massive search for the suspect,” the statement said.
The city of Bridgewater, about two and a half hours south of the US capital Washington and where Bridgewater College is located, sent out an alert of an active gunman situation around 1:30 p.m., local media reported.
The school posted a clear message on its website around 4.30 pm.
Several students told the Washington Post that they heard gunshots near a campus classroom, the paper reported, and had to take shelter on the scene for more than three hours.
One student, 21-year-old Kasey Truslow, told the Post she heard a gunshot outside the building’s window.
“After the second shot, we hit the ground. We stayed on the ground for an hour,” she said.
“My teacher barricaded the door with a large desk with computer screens on it. We stayed there. There was a second door that the students blocked.”
The school had continued to tweet updates during the incident, telling the students, “Use these alerts as the only reliable source of information.”
Virginia Governor Glen Youngkin tweeted: “I have been notified of the situation at Bridgewater College. The gunman is in custody and the state and local police are on the scene.”
The officers were identified by the school as John Painter and JJ Jefferson.
The couple “were shot and killed on campus while protecting us,” according to a statement by university president David Bushman on his website.
“These officers were close friends, known to many of us as the ‘dynamic duo’. John was JJ’s best man at his wedding this year. They were loved by students, teachers and staff. I am hurting for their families and loved ones as I know we all do,” the statement continued.
Bridgewater Mayor Ted Flory posted a statement on the town’s website.
“Bridgewater is shocked by the senseless violence at Bridgewater College today,” Flory said. “We are heartbroken by the unnecessary injuries and loss of life.”
The mayor praised the officers for their efforts in responding to the reports of gunmen.
“In this kindness, we find the strength to move forward and extend our love to the families of the victims and to the entire Bridgewater College community,” he said.
